Stringed musical instrument



Aug. 19, 1930. J. FACCARO 1,773,133

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 17, 1928 Patented Aug. 19, 1930PATENT OFFICE JOHN' FACCARO, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI BTBINGED MUSICALINSTRUMENT Application led December 17, 1928. Serial No. 326,473.

This invention relates to improvements in stringed musical instrumentsand consists of the construction hereinafter disclosed.

The ob'ect of the invention is to provide a stringe musical instrumentof the general type of a violin comprising a unitary structure in whichthere is a common neck and peg box connected with a body in which thereare formed two sound boxes on reverse sides of a partition lin the boxresulting in a structure by which a performer may produce differenttonal qualities and effects.

The construction of the instrument w1ll be understood by those skilledin the art from the following description taken in connection with thedrawing in which* Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one face of theinstrument; and

Fig. 2 is an edge View partially in vertical section showing theconstruction.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the bodyof the instrument has the general outline or contour of musicalinstruments of the violin type. The

body is formed from two face boards 1 and 2 each of which is providedwith the usual sound holes 3. The space between the face boards isdivided by a partition 4 coextensive therewith but having an offsetposition with respect of the median line through the 1nstrument; that isto say, as illustrated 1n the drawing, the space between the inner faceof the member 1 and the partition is somewhat greater than the spacebetween the inner face of the partition 2 and the face of the partition,thereby providing chambers 5 and 6 of unequal volumetric capacity. It isunderstood that this will result in different tonal qualities. It shouldalso be understood that the tonal qualities of the sounding chambers maybe varied by varying the thickness or character of wood from whichthemembers 1 and 2 are respectively made.

To the body of the instrument there is connected a unitary neck 7 havingspaced arms 8 and 9; the distance between the arms 8 and 9 forming aspace 10 of a sufiicient width to permit the insertion of the hand ofthe performer between the arms. The neck 7 is attached directly to theupper portion of the body and finger boardsll and 12 are connected withopposite faces of the neck. Formed integral with the neck is a pair ofpeg boxes 18 and 14 which terminate in a reversely formed scroll 15.

Each face of the instrument .is provided with a separate bridge 16 and17, respectively.

Separate tail pieces 18 and 19 areconnected by a common button20 to thebody and extend on opposite faces thereof.

The strings, given the general reference numeral of 21, are strung onopposite faces of the instrument and may be of'a character to producemusical notes of different pitch. Each series of strings is attached tothe respective tail pieces 18 and 19, extend across the respectivebridges 16 and 17-and are connected at their opposite ends to pegs 22mounted in the peg boxes 18 and 14; the peg holes in said peg boxesbeing respectively 7o offset in order to permit ready tuning of thestrings without interference with the adjacent egs.

It 1s obvious from the foregoing description of the construction that aninstrument is provided that has a wide range for solo or orchestral workas well as for special trick stage playing, .by which an unusual musicalperformance can be given with a singleinstrument.

I am aware that my invention may be modified in certain particularswithout departing from the nature and principle there-l of; therefore, Ido not limit myself in unessential particulars but what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i 1. A stringed musical instrument comprising the combination of aunitary body, a partition dividing the body into sounding chambers ofunequal volumetric capacity; 00 a neck attached to the body providedwith peg boxes and pegs for sup orting one end of the strings, and acomp ete complementV of strings positioned across the respective soundboxes.

2. A stringed musical instrument com rising a body, an internalpartition in the ody' dividing the body into sound chambers of differentdepths, a neck attached to the body, and a complete complement ofstrings strung 100 across opposite faces of the body and supported atthe opposite'end at the upper end of the neck.

3. A stringed musical instrument comprising a body, a partition dividingthe body into separate sound chambers, a neck connected with the body,having separate arms spaced apart, finger` boards rsupported at oppositesides ofthe neck above said arms, and a complement of strings attachedin a manner to cross the separate faces of the body and to be adjustably connected at their opposite end at the upper extremity of theneck. v

4. A stringed musical instrument comprising a body, a partition dividingthe body into separate sound chambers having different tonal producingconstruction, and a complete 'complement' of stringspositioned acrossthe respective sound chambers.

JOHN FACCARO.

